GRADUATES OF the famed College of Engineering, Suh Young-joo (Class of 12’, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering), Choi Seung-won (Class of 11’, Department of Materials Science & Engineering), and Park Jae-hyun (Class of 13’, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering) are known for anything but their mechanical prowess. They are a part of the four-member indie rock band Nerd Connection. Combining their unique style of “oriental psychedelic rock” with modern rock, the band is an ode to 90s British pop with the modern feel of today’s best indie. 

   Debuting with their first single Hymn of the Birds in 2018, the band has since grown a wide base of loyal fans. The band’s story—from meeting at Yonsei University and playing at small pubs in Hong-dae and Sin-chon to achieving fame—is more befitting of a movie plot than a real-life anecdote. The Yonsei Annals sat down with the musicians to talk about life, inspiration, and future goals.

   Annals: Could you please introduce Nerd Connection?

   Nerd Connection: Hello, we are Nerd Connection, a band performing under the slogan of “chaotic world, warm music.” We sing about the things that remain beautiful in an ostensibly pessimistic and dark world. We aim to mix and match various emotions to maximize the catharsis our listeners can feel from our music.

   Annals: Who are the artists that influenced Nerd Connection’s music?

   Nerd Connection: The band finds inspiration from various Western bands in the 1900s and 2000s, such as Radiohead, Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Muse, and Oasis. We also love Korean artists such as Kim Kwang-seok, San-ul-rim, and Nell. Honestly, we believe that the borders between genres are increasingly fading in modern music, so we strive to become a band that refuses to be confined to a single genre.                

   Annals: How was the band formed?

   Nerd Connection: In 2012, Seoh and Choi first met as the singer and guitarist of Yonsei University’s rock band club Medusa and began performing together in a team. Park, our bassist, joined Medusa in 2013 and began performing together in our team in 2015. The club’s unique musical freedom and family-like environment were important in our formative years as a team. 

   Annals: I am curious as to how four engineering majors came together and formed a full-time band. What led to that decision?  

   Nerd Connection: In Medusa, music was still a hobby for us, so we would mainly perform copies of existing music. During that time, we felt an urge to embrace more originality by expressing our own dispositions and sensibilities. It was in 2017 that Choi, Seoh, and Park got together to seriously contemplate the idea of choosing the path of a musician by forming a team. Later, Shin Yeon-tae joined us to complete the current band.

   Annals: What was the response from your peers when you became a full-time band?

   Nerd Connection: Half of them were worried and the other half cheered us on. To be honest, people who did not know of our music life before Nerd Connection were worried that we had made a hasty decision. The ones who have watched us since Medusa gave us their full support.

   Annals: Did you face any difficulties in the beginning?

   Nerd Connection: None of our members have been professionally trained in music or have had experience writing lyrics or composing music, so it was difficult at first to create a song. At the end of the day, like all things, we had to persevere and keep investing time and effort. It was actually quite enjoyable to see our individual brand of music and style gradually develop. We are still working on it, and we are going to keep getting better.

   Annals: Is there a reason why all four members co-compose the band’s songs?

   Nerd Connection: From the start, there were a lot of days when we would all work on writing and composing music as a group and also on our own, so we naturally became joint copyright holders. We believe that our individual styles are present in each and every song we make.

   Annals: Would you like to share your experience at the 2018 Emergenza Festival, the world's largest festival for unsigned bands?

   Nerd Connection: After spending some time laying the foundation of our team, we heard that there was a world band competition and applied for it. After several regional qualifiers in Korea, we were honored to win and pass the Korean qualification, which led us to the finals at a festival in Germany. We were bewildered to achieve something so grand at the beginning stages of our career; I remember being very nervous and overwhelmed.

   Annals: What are some of Nerd Connection's recent activities, and what are your plans for the remainder of this year?

   Nerd Connection: Recently, we have been trying to perform as much as possible for the people who love our music. This October, we will also be releasing our first LP, a project that we have been preparing from the end of 2020. After that, we plan on continuing to perform the songs from this album.

   Annals: Finally, could you say a few words to your fellow Yonseians?

   Seoh: As someone who has gained many memories at Yonsei University, I am very honored to be interviewed like this. We will do our best to be respected alumni. I hope you are always healthy and happy.

   Park: It is a frightening thing to challenge oneself to reach your dreams. I think it’s the case for everybody. Without considerable effort, devotion, fortitude, and passion, you will constantly encounter difficult situations. And you might get frustrated and give up. However, as I said before, if you are determined, you must work towards what you love. You only live once, right?

   Shin: I hope our music is with you during your studies, work, and daily life. I hope that each moment will be warmed by the music of Nerd Connection.

   Choi: I hope that all your wishes come true, and I hope that your daily life can be a little happier with our music. Fighting!